When Boba Fett returned in The Mandalorian, he did so in search of his property. But while the notorious bounty hunter wasn't in possession of his armor at the time of his arrival on Tython, his beloved vessel marked his presence instantly. The moment the Slave I cut through the sky of Tython, Star Wars fans knew Din Djarin was in for a challenge - and that Boba Fett was truly back.
The ship has had its moments of grandeur since Fett's arrival in the MandoVerse, but none greater than the glorious drop of the seismic charge on a few TIE Fighters. It hasn't yet appeared in The Book of Boba Fett, but trailer footage has teased an emotional flashback moment that depicts Boba coming back into contact with his father's ship. What fans got in The Mandalorian was just the beginning - the stars of Boba Fett have made mention of another thrilling sequence involving the gunship.
But the Slave I's return hasn't come without its controversy... namely in that the vessel no longer appears to be called Slave I. The name of Boba Fett's starship has been the contemporary argument amongst the Star Wars fanbase, with the lack of clarity on where things stand contributing to the contention. At long last, the captain of the ship himself has cleared the air on how the vessel is referred to.
Slave I Now Called Firespray Gunship
In an interview with The Wrap, The Book of Boba Fett star Temuera Morrison confirmed that the Slave I is now called the Firespray gunship:
"I think we call it the Firespray. I think I've mentioned it in a couple of episodes... it is a gunship now, that's what we're calling it. We're calling it the Firespray gunship."
The Firespray Takes Over
It's settled, then.
The Slave I was always technically called a Firespray, as that's the model of the ship. In much the same way that the Millenium Falcon is a YT-1300 model freighter, the (formerly) Slave I is just one ship in a mass-produced line of the Firespray model.
All things considered, the Firespray isn't a bad title. Presumably, the ship no longer has a registered name is just referred to by its model. Had Boba changed the name to the Sand I to commemorate Tatooine, there would likely be even more people raising hell over the alteration.
What's really confusing about the situation is how the narrative has changed, despite the end result being the same.
The conundrum began when last Fall's LEGO release for the vehicle was labeled "Boba Fett's Starship". Many eyebrows were raised at the time, but LEGO executives claimed that the decision was made for product branding and marketing purposes as requested by Disney. However, there were assurances made later that everything would remain the same in-universe - which is evidently no longer the case.
Despite the name now being scrubbed from future storytelling, Slave I will always be a part of the canon, as it was spoken in The Clone Wars and written in publishing. Whether or not the change is an attempt by Disney to distance the franchise from things tied to the term "slave," much like the removal of Slave Leia merchandise, is unknown. But the choice has ruffled a significant amount of feathers.
Ultimately, the name change doesn't really do much beyond upset people who had known the vessel as Slave I for over 40 years. The ship will continue to be badass on-screen, regardless of title, and eventually, the controversy will subside.
See the Firespray soar in The Book of Boba Fett when new episodes stream Wednesdays on Disney+.
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